HUNGRY GHOST FESTIVAL

Tai Su Yah (King of Hades)

Today is the 14th day of the 7th lunar month and on this day the Taoist celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival or Feast of the Hungry Ghosts. Every year the Chinese people of Taoist and Buddhist faiths believe that the gate of hell will open and ghosts are allowed to roam the earth during the seventh lunar month.The Hungry Ghost festival or "Yue Lan" takes place in many areas where there are Chinese. This festival usually lasts three days.

I was at the Jade Emperor Temple in Tambun this morning and took the pictures of the Paper Effigies of the God of Hades and his assistants. There were also paper effigies of ancestral tablets, horses and ships. The festivity started on Friday and will end on the 15th day which happens to be Sunday. The paper effigy of the Kind of Hades and other paper effigies will be burnt in a big bonfire tomorrow night.

To read more about this festival, please visit the sites below:http://www.pulaupinang.com/2011/07/penangites-all-set-to-celebrate-hungry-ghost-festival/
http://www.malaysia.com/blog/hungry-ghost-festival/
http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/july-august-the-hungry-ghost-festival-ullambana/
http://www.chinatownconnection.com/hungry-ghost-month.htm
http://www.vkeong.com/2010/food-drink/phor-thor-hungry-ghost-festival-jalan-pasar-bukit-mertajam/